Manufacturing process of double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump
Technical Field
The invention belongs to the technical field of centrifugal pumps, and particularly relates to a manufacturing process of a double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump.
Background
The centrifugal pump is operated by utilizing the rotation of an impeller to make water generate centrifugal motion, before the water pump is started, a pump shell and a water suction pipe are filled with water, then a motor is started, a pump shaft drives the impeller and the water to perform high-speed rotation motion, the water generates centrifugal motion, is thrown to the outer edge of the impeller and flows into a water pressure pipeline of the water pump through a flow channel of a volute-shaped pump shell.
Some centrifugal pumps among the prior art improve the efficiency of drawing water of centrifugal pump usually changing the shape of impeller, often can make the life of impeller reduce when changing the impeller shape, and the cavitation phenomenon appears in the water pump at the in-process of drawing water simultaneously and can't be solved, leads to drawing water inefficiency, and the centrifugal pump is at the in-process of drawing water, because hydraulic unable regulation, the pump body leads to pump body life to be short under the high pressure impact of water.
Disclosure of Invention
The invention provides a manufacturing process of a double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, which aims to make up the defects of the prior art and solve the problems that the service life of a pump body is influenced under the impact of high-pressure water, the cavitation phenomenon cannot be controlled in the pumping process and the service life of an impeller is low.
The technical scheme adopted by the invention for solving the technical problems is as follows: the invention relates to a manufacturing process of a double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, which comprises the following steps:
the method comprises the following steps: cutting a pump body of a double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump to be cast into a plurality of splicing pieces;
step two: manufacturing a mold cavity identical to the splicing sheet by taking the splicing sheet in the step one as a model;
step three: injecting molding particles made of expandable polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate into the mold cavity in the second step, and fusing by heating and pressing to form a lost foam mold sheet with the same shape as the mold cavity;
step four: splicing the lost foam model pieces obtained in the step three according to the shape of a pump body of the finally formed double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, gluing the model pieces into a model cluster, and mounting a pouring system on the glued model cluster;
step five: placing the model cluster in the step four into a bonding force tester for bonding force detection, bonding the subsequent model cluster according to the bonding force detection requirement of the previous model cluster if the bonding force detection requirement of the model cluster is met, and increasing the bonding force of the subsequent model cluster if the bonding force detection requirement of the model cluster is not met;
step six: casting and pouring the model cluster required by the adhesion test in the step five by a lost foam casting method to form the required pump body of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump;
step seven: cleaning, curing, painting and warehousing the pump body of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump in the step six;
step eight: installing a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe, a motor, a transmission shaft, a first blade, a second blade, a first swing rod, a second swing rod and a controller on the pump body in the step seven, and finally assembling the pump body into a molded double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump;
wherein: the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump comprises a pump body, a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe and a controller; the controller is used for controlling the centrifugal pump to work; the water inlet pipe is positioned on the left side of the pump body; the water outlet pipe is positioned at the top of the pump body; the water inlet pipe and the water outlet pipe are communicated with the pump body; the right side of the pump body is fixedly connected with a motor; a rotating shaft of the motor is fixedly connected with a transmission shaft; the transmission shaft penetrates into the pump body; the surface of the transmission shaft is sleeved with a first blade and a second blade in a sliding manner, and the transmission shaft can drive the first blade and the second blade to rotate while the first blade and the second blade can slide on the surface of the transmission shaft; the first blade and the second blade are both in a trapezoidal design and are oppositely arranged; the first blade is positioned on the left side of the second blade; the side surface of one side of the first blade, which is close to the second blade, is rotatably connected with first swing rods which are uniformly arranged; the first swinging rods are circumferentially arranged by taking the transmission shaft as a circle center; the side surface of one side of the second blade close to the first blade is rotatably connected with second swinging rods which are uniformly arranged; the first swing rods and the second swing rods are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and the first swing rods are mutually and rotatably connected with the corresponding second swing rods; the connecting part of the first swinging rod and the second swinging rod is fixedly connected with a gravity ball through a first spring; the during operation, in the beginning, the motor drives the transmission shaft and rotates, thereby drive first blade and second blade and rotate, thereby make the gravity ball rotate, the centrifugal force through the gravity ball makes first blade and second blade relative slip, thereby the reinforcing pressure of drawing water, improve the speed of drawing water, after the pressure reinforcing in the pump body, because the effect of the resistance of water and pressure, the centrifugal force that the gravity ball receives reduces, make first blade and second blade slide back to back mutually, thereby reduce the atmospheric pressure of drawing water, prevent that long-time high atmospheric pressure work from causing the damage to the pump body.
Preferably, the bottom of the pump body is provided with a first sliding chute; a moving plate is connected in the first sliding groove in a sliding manner; the moving plate is made of a magnet; the gravity ball is made of a magnetic material; the bottom of the pump body is provided with a transmission unit; a pressurizing unit is arranged in the water inlet pipe; when the water inlet pipe water pressure boosting device works, the gravity ball intermittently approaches and leaves the movable plate in the rotating process, the movable plate intermittently slides up and down through the magnetism between the gravity ball and the movable plate and the self gravity of the movable plate, and the transmission unit is matched to control the pressurization unit to work, so that the water pressure in the water inlet pipe is increased.
Preferably, the transmission unit comprises a first cylinder, a transmission cabin and a first gear; the transmission cabin is fixedly connected to the bottom of the pump body and communicated with the first sliding groove; the first cylinder is fixedly connected in the first sliding groove, and the extending end of the first cylinder extends into the transmission cabin; a first opening is formed in the side wall of the left side of the transmission cabin; the first gear is rotatably connected in the first opening; the side wall of the extending end of the first cylinder is fixedly connected with first convex teeth which are uniformly arranged and meshed with the first gear; a hemp rope is wound on the surface of the first gear, and the left end of the hemp rope is connected with the pressurizing unit to provide power for the pressurizing unit; when the lifting mechanism works, when the movable plate slides up and down, the space between the movable plate and the first air cylinder is squeezed and loosened, so that the extending end of the first air cylinder stretches, the hemp rope is loosened and tensioned intermittently through transmission between the first gear and the first convex teeth, and power is provided for the pressurizing unit.
Preferably, the pressurizing unit comprises a cam, a pressurizing cabin and a first pressurizing plate; the pressurizing cabin is fixedly connected to the side wall of the water inlet pipe; a second opening is formed in the inner wall of the right side of the water inlet pipe; a cam is rotationally connected in the second opening, a torsion spring is arranged on the cam and used for restoring the cam, and the left end of the hemp rope is wound on the surface of the cam; the water inlet pipe is a square pipe, and a first groove is formed in the right side wall of the water inlet pipe; the first groove is rotatably connected with a first pressure increasing plate, the lower surface of the first pressure increasing plate is obliquely arranged, and the cam can intermittently extrude the first pressure increasing plate when rotating; a second spring is fixedly connected between the first pressure increasing plate and the first groove; when the hemp rope is loosened, the torsion of the torsion spring enables the cam to rotate clockwise to push the first pressurizing plate to swing, so that the water inlet area of the water inlet pipe is reduced, the pressure of water is increased, when the hemp rope is tightened, the cam rotates anticlockwise, and the first pressurizing plate is restored through the second spring.
Preferably, a second groove is formed in the side wall of the left side of the water inlet pipe, a first sliding plate, a second sliding plate and a third sliding plate are connected in the second groove in a sliding mode, the first sliding plate is in an L shape, the upper end of the first sliding plate is fixedly connected with the second sliding plate through a third spring, the upper end of the second sliding plate is fixedly connected with the third sliding plate through a fourth spring, the second sliding plate and the third sliding plate are both in arc-shaped design, an air bag is fixedly connected to the upper end of the second groove, a third groove is formed in the inner wall of the upper end of the water inlet pipe, a second air cylinder and a telescopic plate are fixedly connected in the third groove, the second air cylinder is communicated with the air bag, when the air bag is extruded, the extending end of the second air cylinder moves downwards, the telescopic plates are symmetrically arranged relative to the second air cylinder, the second pressurizing plates are fixedly connected to the lower ends of the second air cylinder and the telescopic plates together, when the water pump works, the pressure of the water inlet pipe is increased due to the swinging of the first pressurizing plate, the first sliding plate is larger than the self gravity, the first sliding plate moves upwards, so that the second sliding plate and the water inlet pipe is extruded, the water pressure of the second air cylinder is constantly increased, the second sliding plate is kept constantly matched with the water inlet pipe, and the water pressure of the water inlet pipe is kept constant, and the water inlet pipe is kept constantly increased, and the water inlet pipe is kept constantly matched with the water pressure of the.
Preferably, the second cylinder is a double-shaft cylinder; the lower shaft of the second cylinder is fixedly connected with a second pressure increasing plate, and the surface of the upper shaft is provided with second convex teeth which are uniformly distributed; the outer wall of the water inlet pipe is rotatably connected with a second gear; the second gear is meshed with the second convex teeth; a swinging plate is rotationally connected in the pump body; the swing plate is formed by mutually rotatably connecting a plurality of fixing plates with the same shape; hemp ropes are arranged in the swinging plates; one end of the hemp rope is wound on the surface of the second gear, the other end of the hemp rope penetrates through the plurality of fixing plates and is fixedly connected to the surface of the rightmost fixing plate, and the hemp rope is in a tense state initially; during operation, the extending end of the second cylinder moves downwards to drive the second gear to rotate, the hemp rope is loosened, the swinging plate swings downwards, water entering the water pipe enters the pump body and then impacts the swinging plate, bubbles in the water are broken, and meanwhile the swinging plate swings in a reciprocating mode all the time under the action of the water, so that the centrifugal pump is prevented from being subjected to cavitation erosion.
The invention has the following beneficial effects:
1. according to the manufacturing process of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, the first impeller, the second impeller and the gravity ball are arranged, and the distance between the first impeller and the second impeller is controlled through the change of the centrifugal force borne by the gravity ball, so that the water pressure in the pump body is improved and reduced, and the service life of the centrifugal pump is prolonged.
2. According to the manufacturing process of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, the first pressurizing unit and the second pressurizing plate are arranged, and the water pressure in the water inlet pipe is controlled through the matching of the first pressurizing plate and the second pressurizing plate, so that the water pumping efficiency of the centrifugal pump is improved.
3. According to the manufacturing process of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, the swinging plate is arranged, the swinging plate swings and straightens through the tightness of the swinging plate, and water entering the water pipe can impact the swinging plate when entering the pump body through the multi-section composition of the swinging plate, so that bubbles in the water are broken, the cavitation phenomenon is prevented, and the water pumping efficiency is improved.
Drawings
The invention will be further explained with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a front view of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view A-A of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of the swing plate;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 at B;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1 at C;
in the figure: the water pump comprises a pump body 1, a water outlet pipe 11, a transmission shaft 12, a first blade 13, a second blade 14, a first swing rod 15, a second swing rod 16, a first spring 17, a gravity ball 18, a water inlet pipe 2, a second groove 21, a first sliding plate 22, a second sliding plate 23, a third sliding plate 24, a third spring 25, a fourth spring 26, an air bag 27, a first chute 3, a moving plate 31, a transmission unit 4, a first air cylinder 41, a transmission cabin 42, a first gear 43, a first opening 44, a pressurizing unit 5, a cam 51, a pressurizing cabin 52, a first pressurizing plate 53, a second opening 54, a first groove 55, a second spring 56, a third groove 6, a second air cylinder 61, a telescopic plate 62, a second pressurizing plate 63, a second gear 64, a swing plate 65 and a fixing plate 66.
Detailed Description
In order to make the technical means, the creation characteristics, the achievement purposes and the effects of the invention easy to understand, the invention is further described with the specific embodiments.
As shown in fig. 1 to 5, the process for manufacturing a double-vane single-shaft centrifugal pump according to the present invention comprises the following steps:
the method comprises the following steps: cutting a pump body of a double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump to be cast into a plurality of splicing pieces;
step two: manufacturing a mold cavity identical to the splicing sheet by taking the splicing sheet in the step one as a model;
step three: injecting molding particles made of expandable polystyrene and polymethyl methacrylate into the mold cavity in the second step, and fusing by heating and pressing to form a lost foam mold sheet with the same shape as the mold cavity;
step four: splicing the lost foam model pieces obtained in the step three according to the shape of a pump body of the finally formed double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump, gluing the model pieces into a model cluster, and mounting a pouring system on the glued model cluster;
step five: placing the model cluster in the step four into a bonding force tester for bonding force detection, bonding the subsequent model cluster according to the bonding force detection requirement of the previous model cluster if the bonding force detection requirement of the model cluster is met, and increasing the bonding force of the subsequent model cluster if the bonding force detection requirement of the model cluster is not met;
step six: casting and pouring the model cluster required by the adhesion test in the step five by a lost foam casting method to form the required pump body of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump;
step seven: cleaning, curing, painting and warehousing the pump body of the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump in the step six;
step eight: installing a water inlet pipe, a water outlet pipe, a motor, a transmission shaft, a first blade, a second blade, a first swing rod, a second swing rod and a controller on the pump body in the step seven, and finally assembling the pump body into a molded double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump;
wherein: the double-blade single-shaft centrifugal pump comprises a pump body 1, a water inlet pipe 2, a water outlet pipe 11 and a controller; the controller is used for controlling the centrifugal pump to work; the water inlet pipe 2 is positioned on the left side of the pump body 1; the water outlet pipe 11 is positioned at the top of the pump body 1; the water inlet pipe 2 and the water outlet pipe 11 are both communicated with the pump body 1; the right side of the pump body 1 is fixedly connected with a motor; a rotating shaft of the motor is fixedly connected with a transmission shaft 12; the transmission shaft 12 penetrates into the pump body 1; the surface of the transmission shaft 12 is sleeved with a first blade 13 and a second blade 14 in a sliding manner, the transmission shaft 12 can drive the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 to rotate while the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 can slide on the surface of the transmission shaft 12; the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 are both in a trapezoidal design and are arranged oppositely; the first blade 13 is positioned at the left side of the second blade 14; the side surface of one side of the first blade 13 close to the second blade 14 is rotatably connected with first swing rods 15 which are uniformly arranged; the first swing rod 15 is circumferentially arranged by taking the transmission shaft 12 as a circle center; the side surface of the second blade 14 close to the first blade 13 is rotatably connected with second swing rods 16 which are uniformly arranged; the first swing rods 15 and the second swing rods 16 are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence manner, and the first swing rods 15 are rotationally connected with the corresponding second swing rods 16; the joint of the first swing rod 15 and the second swing rod 16 is fixedly connected with a gravity ball 18 through a first spring 17; the during operation, initially, the motor drives transmission shaft 12 and rotates, thereby drive first blade 13 and second blade 14 and rotate, thereby make gravity ball 18 rotate, centrifugal force through gravity ball 18 makes first blade 13 and second blade 14 relative slip, thereby the reinforcing pressure of drawing water, improve the speed of drawing water, after the pressure reinforcing in the pump body 1, because the resistance and the pressure effect of water, the centrifugal force that gravity ball 18 receives reduces, make first blade 13 and second blade 14 slide mutually oppositely, thereby reduce the atmospheric pressure of drawing water, prevent that long-time high atmospheric pressure work from causing the damage to the pump body 1.
As an embodiment of the present invention, a first chute 3 is disposed at the bottom of the pump body 1; a moving plate 31 is connected in the first chute 3 in a sliding manner; the moving plate 31 is made of a magnet; the gravity ball 18 is made of a magnetic material; the bottom of the pump body 1 is provided with a transmission unit 4; a pressurizing unit 5 is arranged in the water inlet pipe 2; when the water inlet pipe 2 works, the gravity ball 18 intermittently approaches and leaves the moving plate 31 in the rotating process, the moving plate 31 intermittently slides up and down through the magnetism between the gravity ball 18 and the moving plate 31 and the self gravity of the moving plate 31, and the transmission unit 4 is matched to control the pressurization unit 5 to work, so that the pressure of water in the water inlet pipe 2 is increased.
As an embodiment of the present invention, the transmission unit 4 includes a first cylinder 41, a transmission chamber 42, and a first gear 43; the transmission cabin 42 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the pump body 1 and is communicated with the first chute 3; the first cylinder 41 is fixedly connected in the first chute 3, and the extending end extends into the transmission cabin 42; a first opening 44 is formed in the left side wall of the transmission cabin 42; the first gear 43 is rotatably connected in the first opening 44; the side wall of the extending end of the first cylinder 41 is fixedly connected with first convex teeth which are uniformly arranged and meshed with the first gear 43; a hemp rope is wound on the surface of the first gear 43, and the left end of the hemp rope is connected with the pressurizing unit 5 to provide power for the pressurizing unit 5; when the device works, when the moving plate 31 slides up and down, the space between the moving plate 31 and the first air cylinder 41 is squeezed and loosened, so that the extending end of the first air cylinder 41 stretches, the hemp rope is loosened and tightened intermittently through transmission between the first gear 43 and the first convex teeth, and power is provided for the pressurizing unit 5.
As an embodiment of the present invention, the pressurizing unit 5 includes a cam 51, a pressurizing compartment 52, and a first pressurizing plate 53; the pressurizing cabin 52 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the water inlet pipe 2; a second opening 54 is formed in the inner wall of the right side of the water inlet pipe 2; the cam 51 is rotatably connected in the second opening 54, a torsion spring is arranged on the cam 51 and used for recovering the cam 51, and the left end of the hemp rope is wound on the surface of the cam 51; the water inlet pipe 2 is a square pipe, and a first groove 55 is formed in the right side wall of the water inlet pipe 2; the first groove 55 is rotatably connected with a first pressurizing plate 53, the lower surface of the first pressurizing plate 53 is obliquely arranged, and the cam 51 can intermittently extrude the first pressurizing plate 53 when rotating; a second spring 56 is fixedly connected between the first pressure increasing plate 53 and the first groove 55; when the hemp rope is loosened, the cam 51 rotates clockwise due to the torsion of the torsion spring to push the first pressure increasing plate 53 to swing, so that the water inlet area of the water inlet pipe 2 is reduced, the pressure of water is increased, when the hemp rope is tightened, the cam 51 rotates counterclockwise, and the first pressure increasing plate 53 is restored through the second spring 56.
As an embodiment of the invention, a second groove 21 is formed in the side wall of the left side of the water inlet pipe 2, a first sliding plate 22, a second sliding plate 23 and a third sliding plate 24 are connected in the second groove 21 in a sliding mode, the first sliding plate 22 is in an L shape, the upper end of the first sliding plate 22 is fixedly connected with the second sliding plate 23 through a third spring 25, the upper end of the second sliding plate 23 is fixedly connected with the third sliding plate 24 through a fourth spring 26, the second sliding plate 23 and the third sliding plate 24 are both in an arc shape, an air bag 27 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the second groove 21, a third groove 6 is formed in the inner wall of the upper end of the water inlet pipe 2, a second air cylinder 61 and a telescopic plate 62 are fixedly connected in the third groove 6, the second air cylinder 61 and the telescopic plate 62 are communicated with the air bag 27, the extending end of the second air cylinder moves downwards when the air bag 27 is extruded, the telescopic plates 62 are in two numbers and are symmetrically arranged relative to the second air cylinder 61, the lower ends of the second air cylinder 61 and the telescopic plate 62 are fixedly connected with the second air cylinder 63, when the air bag 27 is extruded, the water inlet pipe is extruded, the water pressure of the first air cylinder 53 is increased, the water inlet pipe 2 is matched with the water inlet pipe 22, the water inlet pipe 22 is not increased, the water inlet pipe 22 is matched with the water inlet pipe, the water inlet pipe 53, the water inlet pipe is continuously, the water inlet pipe is pressed by the water inlet pipe 22 is matched with the water inlet pipe, the water inlet pipe is matched with the water inlet pipe, the water inlet pipe is not increased by the water inlet pipe.
As an embodiment of the present invention, the second cylinder 61 is a two-shaft cylinder; the lower shaft of the second cylinder 61 is fixedly connected with a second pressurizing plate 63, and the surface of the upper shaft is provided with second convex teeth which are uniformly distributed; the outer wall of the water inlet pipe 2 is rotatably connected with a second gear 64; the second gear 64 is engaged with the second tooth; a swinging plate 65 is rotationally connected with the pump body 1; the swing plate 65 is formed by mutually rotatably connecting a plurality of fixing plates 66 with the same shape; hemp ropes are arranged in the swinging plates 65; one end of the hemp rope is wound on the surface of the second gear 64, the other end of the hemp rope penetrates through the fixing plates 66 and is fixedly connected to the surface of the rightmost fixing plate 66, and the hemp rope is in a tight state initially; during operation, the extending end of the second cylinder 61 moves downwards to drive the second gear 64 to rotate, the hemp rope is loosened, the swinging plate 65 swings downwards, water in the water inlet pipe 2 enters the pump body 1 and then strikes the swinging plate 65, bubbles in the water are broken, and meanwhile the swinging plate 65 swings in a reciprocating mode all the time under the action of the water, so that the cavitation phenomenon of the centrifugal pump is prevented.
When the pump works, initially, the motor drives the transmission shaft 12 to rotate, so as to drive the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 to rotate, so as to enable the gravity ball 18 to rotate, the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 relatively slide through the centrifugal force of the gravity ball 18, so as to enhance the pumping pressure, after the pressure in the pump body 1 is enhanced, due to the resistance and the pressure effect of water, the centrifugal force borne by the gravity ball 18 is reduced, so that the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 slide back and forth, in the rotating process of the gravity ball 18, the first blade 13 and the second blade 14 intermittently approach and separate from each other, the first slide plate 22 intermittently slides up and down through the magnetism between the gravity ball 18 and the first slide plate 22 and the self gravity of the first slide plate 22, when the first slide plate 22 slides up and down, the space between the first slide plate 22 and the first cylinder 41 is squeezed and released, so as to enable the extending end of the first cylinder 41 to stretch, so as to realize the, intermittently loosening and tightening the hemp rope, when the hemp rope is loosened, the cam 51 is rotated clockwise due to the torsion of the torsion spring to push the first pressure increasing plate 53 to swing, thereby reducing the water inlet area of the water inlet pipe 2, when the hemp rope is tightened, the cam 51 rotates counterclockwise, the first pressure increasing plate 53 is restored through the second spring 56, the pressure of the water in the water inlet pipe 2 is increased due to the swing of the first pressure increasing plate 53, the impulsive force of the water on the first sliding plate 22 is larger than the self gravity, the first sliding plate 22 moves upwards, thereby the second sliding plate 23 and the third sliding plate 24 move upwards, the air bag 27 is extruded, the extending end of the second air cylinder 61 moves downwards, thereby the second pressure increasing plate 63 moves downwards, the water inlet amount of the water inlet pipe 2 is reduced through the cooperation of the second pressure increasing plate 63 and the telescopic plate 62, the water in the water inlet pipe 2 is kept in a high-pressure state before entering the pump body 1 through the cooperation of the first pressure increasing plate 53, the first sliding plate 22 continues to be subjected to the impulsive, the water pressure is not recovered, the extending end of the second cylinder 61 moves downwards to drive the second gear 64 to rotate, the hemp rope is loosened, the swinging plate 65 swings downwards, water in the water inlet pipe 2 enters the pump body 1 and impacts the swinging plate 65, bubbles in the water are broken, and meanwhile the swinging plate 65 swings back and forth under the action of the water, so that the cavitation phenomenon of the centrifugal pump is prevented.
The foregoing illustrates and describes the principles, general features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, which are described in the specification and illustrated only to illustrate the principle of the present invention, but that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.